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Tie vote ties up ATAS election

Run-off set between John Shaffner, Brian Seth Hurst

The next chairman/CEO of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences will be determined through a run-off election Jan. 6 after a vote by the board of governors Wednesday night ended with a tie between incumbent John Shaffner and second vice chair Brian Seth Hurst.

The third candidate, actor Peter Kwong, left the race after receiving the fewest votes.

The other ATAS officer positions were filled: Daytime drama producer Nancy Bradley Wiard was elected vice chair, PR veteran Stacey Luchs Struber was voted second vice chair, Marcelino Ford-Livene of interactive media was named secretary, production executive Kevin Hamburger will be the new treasurer, and producer Joetta Di Bella was elected L.A.-area vice chair after running unopposed.

The election follows a tumultuous summer for ATAS in which the academy came under fire by the creative community over the board of governors' decision to approve time-shifting of eight categories from the live Primetime Emmy ceremony. The move eventually was reversed.

Shaffner is a six-time Emmy-winning production designer whose credits include "Friends," "The Drew Carey Show," "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" the Primetime Emmys and the Super Bowl.